Metaphysical Glasses Needed...

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.  For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.  In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.--1 Peter 4:1-6

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

We looked at the first two verses here in our previous study called The Ultimate Weapon.  Peter goes on to say that we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles.  Some of the believers that Peter was writing to had lived pretty dark lives before coming to the Lord. Peter was saying enough!  They were now to put aside the old life and live and walk in the newness of life in the Lord.  They were not to live anymore for the lusts of the flesh but for the will of God.  Seeking His will and His glory alone.  He then goes into a list of sins that often characterize an unbeliever's life. 



An unbeliever's heart, the bible tells us, is darkened to the things of God,  his conscience seared and his moral standards eroded. The sentence of death is in him. The bottom line for every sinner is that they become worshipers of themselves  and begin to look like what they worship.  They become its essence, so to speak.  Their world becomes smaller and smaller until all they can think about is themselves and what they want.  They cease to even think about who their sin might be hurting.  They become all that matter. 

God's desire is to pull us out of this miry pit of sin we are in.  He will not do this, however, unless we ask.  They day I cried out in weakness and helplessness to Him was the day that my life changed forever.  God heard my cry and gave me the metaphysical glasses I needed to see.  You won't see unless you cry out.  (If you are not a believer, and your heart sincerely desires a relationship with Jesus...go ahead...cry out...pray...ask Him into your heart.  You will SEE what I mean...a heart change will occur and your visuals will be different) When Christ enters the unbeliever's heart, light shines in and begins to point out the ugliness, selfishness and destructiveness of the sin in their life. They are no longer slaves to sin and because of their acceptance of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross are now not only free from the penalty of sin but also from the power of sin.  They no longer HAVE to sin. As a new believer walks with the Lord he sees that his God is the answer to all things.  If God is his portion then truly he realizes he has everything needed for the journey.


Peter goes on in verse 4 to say that a new believer's friends and/or family will not only think his new behavior strange but will also speak evil of him.  As an unbeliever, you may be loved by many, but when the Lord enters your life, the very same people may in fact hate you.   They will be shocked and suspicious at your new behavior and speak evil of you. We are not to be surprised when this happens.  The new believer's light shines and his former friends who still love darkness feel condemned and move away from the light. The sad thing is the unbeliever may blaspheme the name of the Lord in this life but Peter reminds us that they will give an account for their behavior some day.  The judgment of the living unbelievers will take place before the Millennium begins; the wicked dead will be judged at the close of Christ's reign on earth. 

Peter goes on here to say that it is for this reason that the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh but live according to God in the spirit.  I understand this verse to say that the gospel was preached to people who might now be dead but accepted the Lord when they heard it preached here on earth and believed.  They may have suffered here on earth or even have been killed for their faith, but because of the stand they took for Christ their reward is now with them...eternal life in heaven with Jesus.  


If you do not believe the gospel, you may earn the approval of men but in the long run you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and the righteous judgment of God.  If you do believe the gospel when it is preached, you will earn the approval of God and the blame of men. Approval of men now judgment later...disapproval of men now and eternal life later.  Abraham chose to suffer with the people of God rather than enjoy the passing pleasure of sin...

I will end with some verses from Romans Chapter 2...


"And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,  who "WILL RENDER TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;  but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath,  tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God."--Romans 2:3-11

Love
Mom

Fear Not Daughters of the King...

"You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its farthest regions, And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'  "Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them— Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing. For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'  "Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you," says the LORD And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. "Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, And make the hills like chaff. You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away, And the whirlwind shall scatter them; You shall rejoice in the LORD, And glory in the Holy One of Israel.  "The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, Their tongues fail for thirst. I, the LORD, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water.  I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, The myrtle and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress tree and the pine And the box tree together, That they may see and know, And consider and understand together, That the hand of the LORD has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it.--Isaiah 41:9-20


Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

I needed this promise personally today...maybe you do too. No matter what the difficulty is that you are facing, God has chosen you and you are precious to Him.  If you are afraid, fear not...He is with you.  If you weak, He will strengthen you.  If you are tottering, He will uphold you with His  righteous right hand.  He will deal with all who oppose you...He is  the God who sees.  Those who strive with you. They will perish and be no more. But remember the battle is His.  He will fight for you, the bible says, and you shall hold your peace. Vengeance is Mine, says the Lord..He will shine forth.  Wait on Him...His ways are perfect.

If you are feeling poor and needy or weak and despised....God says to fear not...He will help you.   He is your Redeemer.  He will provide for you, comfort you and make you into a vessel  fit for use in His kingdom.  He will do exceedingly abundantly in your life.  Your job is to cry out to Him in humility and allow Him to fill you. His strength is made perfect in weakness and He uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. He is the answer to all prayers.  Look at verse 18. 

"I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water."

He will make the wilderness here for us on earth a pool of water and the dry land springs.  Our God will do it.   He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  You are His daughter...Your Father is the God of heaven and earth...You fear???  Those who oppose you should shake and tremble and be very afraid. 

Stand back and see the salvation of the Lord.  The Lord is our defense and He is our Rock of Refuge. The Lord is our help and in the multitude of our anxieties within His comfort delights our soul. 

Love
Mom

Waiting on the Lord....

Isaiah 40:28-31

Have you not known?
      Have you not heard?
      The everlasting God, the LORD,
      The Creator of the ends of the earth,
      Neither faints nor is weary.
      His understanding is unsearchable.
        He gives power to the weak,
      And to those who have no might He increases strength.
       Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
      And the young men shall utterly fall,
       But those who wait on the LORD
      Shall renew their strength;
      They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
      They shall run and not be weary,
      They shall walk and not faint.

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

I so needed to read these verses tonight.  Sometimes I forget who dwells inside me.  Have you not known, Isaiah begins....Have you not heard??? The everlasting God, the LORD,  The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.  God has got me and my problems covered...He doesn't get tired and His understanding is unsearchable.  He knows what I am going through and He knows the state of my heart.  Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

Isaiah goes on to remind us (me) that He gives power to the weak and to those who have no might he increases their strength.  I am without strength and weak....BUT that is a good thing because His strength is made perfect in weakness.  He will uphold me. He will hedge me behind and before.  Colossians 1:11 says, "He will strengthen me with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy." At my weakest I can cry out to Him with gladness knowing He has enough for both of us.  And as I cry out, my eyes fill with His goodness and mercy and love toward me.  I am poor and needy and yet the Lord thinks on me!

My strength will be renewed as I wait on the Lord.  I like to see the phrase  "wait on the Lord" as Jon Courson explains it.  I am the Lord's waiter.  I am serving Him here on earth and doing those things that He has prepared beforehand for me to do.  My job is to please Him and honor Him here as I journey through this vale of tears.   I am to spend time with Him in worship, in thanksgiving, in prayer and in the study and meditation of His word.  I am to look for ways to love those He has placed in my path with the love that He Himself has shed abroad in my heart.  I am here for Him...my life is about Him...not me.  Whatever He sends me is good and is for my good and His glory.  And as I go through this life there will be times like tonight when my strength is spent and my heart is weak.  Here is what I know: He will be gracious to me...He will incline His ear to me and hear my cry...He will strengthen my heart...He will be good to me...He will renew my strength...He will not leave me nor forsake me and in Him I have everything I need.

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.--Psalm 84:5-7

Love

Mom

Messiah's Soliloquy...

"The Lord GOD has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned. The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away. I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.  "For the Lord GOD will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up. "Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD And rely upon his God. Look, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with sparks: Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled— This you shall have from My hand: You shall lie down in torment.--Isaiah 50:4-11

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

I have read these verses and meditated on them many times over the past several days. I have studied and written on them before. The more I meditate on them the more I feel as if I am walking on holy ground.  Jesus is speaking here about His relationship to His Father when He was on earth.  In fact, this is sometimes referred to as the Messiah's Soliloquy.   We can have this mind that Christ had when he walked the earth, in our own trials and sufferings.


With that said, Jesus is speaking here in Isaiah 50 about being perfected through obedience and suffering.  Thinking about Jesus learning obedience or being perfected through suffering makes my head ache.  It is very very difficult for me to understand.  I am just beginning to grasp it.  Hebrews says this:

"who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,  though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him," --Hebrews 5:7-9

Jesus as God never had to practice obedience being coequal with the Father. As a sacrifice fitting for rebellious humanity He had to live, suffer and die as a Man.

The incredible humility involved in becoming our perfect sacrifice required both obedience and suffering - Had He chosen merely to be our judge and executioner He would have not needed to do learn obedience or to suffer - but because He was our substitute He took upon Himself our human nature, our being subject to temptation, and the paying the price for our sin.  Christ's prayer here in verse 7 of Hebrews Chapter 5, is not that he might be saved from death because to die for sinners was the very reason He came to earth.  The prayer is that His sacrifice would be accepted by His Father and He would be delivered out of death....This prayer was answered when God raised Him from the dead.  He was heard because of His godly fear and was made perfect in His role as our Savior. 

Jesus leaves behind His example for us to look to and follow...He shows us the way and will lead us in victory.  Knowing He went before me...putting aside His deity and living out a life of obedience to His Father is such an encouragement to me as I follow Him.  These verses here in Isaiah 50 from the mouth of Jesus strengthen me and hearten me for my journey.

Let's look at verse 4.  "The Lord GOD has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned."

Jesus was taught by God.  Every morning He awakened Him, instructed Him, and guided His tongue for His purposes.  He assisted Him, Jesus, by His divine power to speak all He wanted Him to speak and all He desired for Him to do.  John 10:49 tells us that Jesus did not speak on His own authority but the Father who sent Him gave Him a command, what He should say and what He should speak.

We, like Jesus, are to awaken and spend time with our Father in heaven seeking His word, seeking His guidance and instruction and surrendering to Him in moment by moment obedience to His will for us here on earth.


Jesus not only spent time with His Father--He shared and encouraged those who were weary with the things He had learned from Him. He helped those in need.  He did the work His Father had given Him to do. I think of Ephesians 2:10 here. Jesus had a successful ministry but He never pointed to Himself. His life glorified His Father in Heaven.  He did whatever He did here on earth by faith  just as we do.  He did not use His divine powers.  He did all He did as a MAN.  We cannot take refuge in Him being God as the reason why He was able to do it. This fact is amazing to me...each time Jesus healed or spoke it was not Him it was the Spirit working through Him.  Jesus was totally set apart to do His Father's will just as we should be.

The next verse says that the Lord God had opened His ear and He was not rebellious nor did He turn away.   When a servant in Hebrew culture did not want to leave the service of His master but wanted to become a permanent willing slave of that household, an an awl was driven through his earlobe and a gold earring placed in the hole.  This told all He was bondservant...Jesus is telling us here that He came willingly to do His work here on earth.  Jesus was a slave by choice. Wow! Wow! Wow! I can never wrap my mind around that.  He took the form of one of His creatures, a Man, and came to earth for the purpose of suffering and dying for them.  Verse 6 tells us a little more of what He suffered.  It also shows us His mindset. He was determined to do His Father's will no matter the cost...He yielded His body to men who whipped Him, spat upon Him, plucked His beard, crowned Him with thorns and ultimately crucified Him. What an example for us...Make no mistake...each one of us are slaves to something. Romans 6 tells us that we either present ourselves to be slaves of sin leading to death or slaves of obedience leading to righteousness.  Again, Jesus, the Son of God, a slave by choice CHOOSING moment by moment to do His Father's will.  He made the same choices that we have to make...the daily moment by moment dying to self and living for God.  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.(Col 3:3) who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. (1Pe 2:24)

The next few verses tell us that He completely entrusted Himself into His Father's hands.  WHAT AN EXAMPLE FOR US! ( I know I am repeating that a lot...but hey..it is true and needs to be pointed out) And remember, because I find this so easy to forget, that He did it all by faith.  He walked in those works that His Father had prepared beforehand for Him as a human being never using His divine powers.  What fellowship He had with His Father.  As we keep reading we begin to see that all this that Jesus did and thought were done to show us the way.  It all can be applied to our lives and walk with Him...Scriptures can be found throughout the New Testament to show us that His word and deed matched.  Jesus is truly the way the truth and the life.

As I read and reread this passage I cannot help but see and be overwhelmed by the fact that Jesus right here in these verses is telling us how to handle a trial..  And He is not speaking here as God...even though...you know He is...He is speaking here to us as a Human...telling us all this from His own personal experience. He wants us to know what to do and how to react to whatever we might be facing....  No matter what you are facing today you can go to one of these Servant songs and  be reassured that Jesus understands. He can relate. Not only can He relate but the One who died for us is also the One who intercedes for us at the right hand of God. 

Hebrews 4:14-16 says: "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Romans 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Really what more could we ask for!  In fact, He probably learned and meditated on many of the very same Scriptures that we do as He went through His day. Look at what He tells us in these verses on how to go through the trials of life:

1. spend time with the Father.
2. encourage others in their weariness with the Word of God.
3. comfort them in their distress.
4. do not be rebellious..
5. receive with meekness the implanted word.
6. set your face like flint to endure knowing that your God WILL help.
7. rely upon your God...you will not be disgraced or ashamed.

Then He reminds us that our enemies will be grow old...the moths will eat them up.. He has gone before  and shown us the way.  JESUS LIVED OUT HIS OWN WORD...HE WAS THE WORD AND HIS WORD AND HIS DEED MATCHED...THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF TRUTH. AMAZING!

Sometimes in a trial we feel as if no one really understands our suffering.  There is ONE...and He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows the chastisement for our peace was upon Him. He endured all this for us...Hebrews 12:2 says it was for the joy that was set before Him...we are that joy...He is our joy, our strength and our salvation. He is our way, our truth, our life! Go to Him, trust in Him. Commit yourself to Him. He will not disappoint!



The last two verses of this third Servant song express the choice that we have.  Do we choose to trust in our Lord God as Jesus did and allow God to work in us and through us as we surrender our wills to Him  moment by moment? And remember even in obedience Jesus walked at times in darkness...just as we will...but HE trusted that God would bring Him to the light at the right time. Or do we  kindle our own fires in the dark times of our lives...relying  on our own understanding and arrogantly say we know better than God.  The end of one is life everlasting with Him...the end of the other is everlasting torment.

BEHOLD MY SERVANT...

Love
Mom

Loneliness is Hard...by Anna

 Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”

Loneliness is hard.

I’m speaking from experience. Sometimes I’m so intensely lonely I feel exactly the opposite of what this miraculous verse assures me. I feel like no one is with me when I pass through the turbulent waters of this life; like those same waters are going to hopelessly overwhelm me, overturn me, overflow me, beat me up and spit me out—and no one will care enough to make the futile attempt to stop it; like when I walk through fire, I will be scarred and burned and singed and scorched and melted from the sheer force and pressure of the fire. That I’ll always be alone. 

But then again, feelings are rot. 

I have people—and that’s people just on this earth, I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet—who care about me. Who would protect me no matter what the cost. Who will, to the absolute best of their ability, be with me for as long as they live. Never leave me, never abandon me to those rushing waters. Never leave me to the mercy of that fire. (What I did to deserve this other than scream my head off for the first three years of my life, I have absolutely NO idea.) And I have people for whom I would do the same. (What they did to deserve it generally entails their putting UP with three-year-old screaming me.) 

Okay, NOW for the best part.

Having people on this earth who care for me is an immense blessing and an immense gift. I don’t where I would be right now without my family. 

But humans’ love is not essential to my survival. I could be completely cut off, adrift, forsaken, scorned and rejected by every single human being on this planet, and—while that would be traumatizing—here’s the thing: I don’t need them. 

Plain and simple truth. I don’t need every single human being on this planet. (I don’t WANT every single human being on this planet. I’m quite happy with just a few.) Mankind’s love is fickle. Whenever you give your heart away to a human, there is always an immense risk involved. When you love a human, there is always a very good chance of horrible, soul-wrenching, heart-aching pain. I know—I’ve felt it—and whether it’s betrayal that leaves you sick and feeling as though you’ve been sucker-punched in the gut, unable to breathe, or the inevitable loss of losing someone to the curse of death, there is always the possibility—the likelihood, in fact—of pain. 

Now, if humans were all there were to love and be loved by, the logical choice—other than suicide—would be to never love anyone. Look out for Number One. Survival of the fittest. Lock your emotions away, deep down where they can’t ever surface. And that, too, is a horrible place to be—in the long run, even worse than the pain of loving and losing. 

Here’s the thing, the BEST thing—humans aren’t all there is. (Relax…I haven’t bought into Intergalactic Ruler Xenos and his platoon of little green aliens yet.) You can love a certain Someone with all your heart and mind and strength and soul and not ever have to be afraid of hurt from Him. He’ll always be with you, like He said in that verse. He’ll never leave you nor forsake you. He’ll never betray you. He is always there for you. For all your problems. (I know I’ve covered this before, but the enormity and beauty of it all is beyond my comprehension! I could write devotionals on this for the rest of my life and still not exhaust the subject.) He’ll never let you go through the waters alone, or let the rivers overflow you, nor will He let that fire burn or even scorch you! You are precious to Him. The Creator of the Universe SAYS so, in this very chapter! Even when the world is set against you, He’s FOR you—and He created the world. And since He’s made it quite clear in His Word that whoever has a problem with you has a problem with HIM…well, I doubt I need to elaborate further than that. (Hint: Like Gianna Jessen said, it’s written on our foreheads that we’re His, and “you’d better be nice to me because my Daddy rules the world.”) 

Is that something or is that SOMETHING??

His Mercies Don't Fail...

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

Sometimes, in this world, girls, we can become wiped out by the circumstances, grief and unrest that may surround us and seem to follow us. We become weary and tired of doing as the British do..." they carry on."  Sometimes it can be difficult to put one foot in front of the other.  Times like this require the big guns of the word of God.  Get your Bible and go to the Servant Songs...go to some favorite Psalms or go to any portion of Scripture and sit with your Lord and memorize, pray, write and meditate on His word.

I was in just this kind of place last night....I brought my bible...not my study bible...just my bible and borrowed Anna's book light and sat with Anna and Mikayla as they slept doing just this.  I wound up at the following verses in Lamentations.  Just to give you an idea of what the prophet, Jeremiah's state of mind was, I have included some of the previous verses.

"I have become the ridicule of all my people— Their taunting song all the day. He has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drink wormwood. He has also broken my teeth with gravel, And covered me with ashes. You have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten prosperity.   And I said, "My strength and my hope Have perished from the LORD." Remember my affliction and roaming, The wormwood and the gall. My soul still remembers And sinks within me. This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.  "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!" The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the LORD."

Jeremiah's was devastated when he looked at the circumstances that surrounded him.  He had done his best to warn the people of God's upcoming judgment but judgment was coming and nothing could prevent it. Notice, however, that in the midst of his complaint he began to think on the Lord...he shifted his focus.  He remembered God's mercy and His compassion.  He saw His faithfulness reaching to the skies.  He remembered that it was God who was His Portion...it was God who always sustained Him...and it was God in whom was his hope.

So often in this life we become like Jeremiah was here...overwhelmed by problems and circumstances.  We become short tempered.  We grieve and cry out.  We rant and rave.  Truly though, girls, only one thing is needed and that is to go and sit at the feet of the One who desires you, loves you and died for you.  Truly the Lord's compassions fail not and His mercies are new every morning.  He will be good to those who wait for Him....to the soul who seeks Him. 

I went back to bed last night renewed in mind and in spirit.  My body was tired this morning but my heart was remembering Him.

Love
Mom

Note to Anna...I thought of you last night memorizing so much Scripture and it reminded me of where I needed to go. 

The Ultimate Weapon

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.  For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.  In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.--1 Peter 4:1-6

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

We have reached Chapter 4 in our 1st Peter study.  Recall that this entire epistle was written by Peter to encourage people who were facing suffering and persecution for their faith.  We are only going to look at the first two verses but the message from Peter here is so powerful and if believed and taken to heart can change the face of your suffering.  John MacArthur calls it the believer's ultimate weapon. 

Peter starts off with "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,"

The therefore hearkens back to what was discussed in chapter 3...The message that culminated at the end of Chapter 3 was  that Christ was triumphant in suffering...He is our model.  Here he says that even if we suffer for righteousness sake we are blessed and that it is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good rather than doing evil.  Peter then has us look at Christ...He, the Just One, suffered for the us, the unjust, and look at the result...look at the victory.  He triumphed over sin, the grave, demons, His Father's judgment, and because of that God has highly exalted Him and  given Him a name above all others.  It is Christ who is seated at His Father's right hand...angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. The idea is that Christ triumphed in suffering and we can also.

Suffered in the flesh is a reference to Christ's death on the cross.  Peter is saying that as Christians we need to arm ourselves for battle with the same purpose that Christ had in His suffering.  What was that purpose?  His purpose was to triumph over sin and death.  Likewise, this is also our purpose.   A person can be triumphant in suffering...even the suffering of death.  All of us are going to face suffering and and death in this life and if we live for Christ, persecution for His name will also come our way. The question is are we going to leave the fragrance of Christ in the wake of our suffering or the aroma of death.  Are you willing to accept the potential of death for your faith as part of the Christian life. (see Matt 10:38, 39; 2 Cor 4:8-11) That is your ultimate weapon in whatever suffering you face especially the suffering you face for naming His name. The worst they can do is kill your body and then as it says in the next part of the verse..he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.  Dying brings about every believer's goal...the end of sin!  Their evil would only bring about that which is precious to you...you win! You thwart them.

Now you may not face death for your faith,  but living the Christian life is costly from the world's perspective. Picking up your cross means exactly that...dying to sin and also to those things that you want and living for the will of God.  Putting off sin and putting on Christ.  Submitting to Him moment by moment as He  purges those things from you that not only keep you from seeing Him fully, but also prevent others from seeing the fullness of who He is in your life.   Arm yourself with the purpose of Christ...your suffering can be triumphant...in fact, the time of your greatest suffering...your greatest darkness may be the time of your greatest triumph.  If you are a believer...truly a believer...recanting is not even a consideration. Like Peter you know that He has the words to eternal life.  Be willing to suffer in the flesh knowing it has the potential for producing not only the greatest results in your Christian walk but the greatest triumph in the end...the cessation of sin.  Be willing to live your life here as it says in the next verse not for the lusts of the flesh but for the will of God.  This is the reasons the martyrs could die singing...this is the reason that thousands of others have faced death or persecution with joy and hope. It did  not eliminate the suffering, pain and grief they felt, but it gave it a meaning eternally and them a perspective that nothing in this world can conquer.

They knew that it would bring about their earthly goal...the cessation of sin.  A believer because He has the Spirit of God dwelling inside him, hates sin.  He fights it all his life. Sin killed Christ...it costs Him His life. It caused Him to cry out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" A believer who loves Christ will hate sin...He will cry out  like Paul in Romans 7 saying,  "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"  Death then frees us from sin and brings us to where we have longed to be: with Him...face to face...awake and in His likeness.  How precious a promise...how precious a hope.  The very worst thing that man can do to us in this life...kill us...has truly the most precious consequences for us. 

Here are the entire two verses practically. Christ triumphed in His death. He triumphed over sin...He suffered once for all and it was finished.  You ought to have the same mind and the same purpose that He had both in suffering and in death.  His life was triumphant over sin moment by moment...He lived not for the lusts of the flesh but for the will of His Father.  That is the thought that we need to arm ourselves with.  Our death is our moment of triumph...we have endured to the end...we have reached our goal.  When we awake, we are in His likeness and have ceased from sin. 


So, I can get up each morning with the joy of the Lord, knowing that victory is mine in whatever I am facing or will face.  By faith, I can shout it out when I get up and instead of turning to my husband or my kids and telling them my back is killing me or that my head is hurting or that I am sad about this or sad about that, I can REJOICE!  VICTORY IS MINE!!!...Now I might still need some Tylenol and some coffee, but I can thank God I can still walk to the cabinet and get it.  I can thank God that the worst thing this world can do to me is kill me, and in so doing, bring about what is most precious to me.  Think like that and there is nothing you cannot face in Him who strengthens you.

Love
Mom

 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.  For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.  And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED AND THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe and therefore speak,  knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.  For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.--2nd Corinthians 4:6-18

Speaking God's Word

"Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness. Then He said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them."--Ezekiel 3:1-4

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

Ezekiel was to receive the word of God into his body and feed on its truth and allow it to strengthen Him for the job he was given to do.  He was then to speak God's words to the people. The word of God girls, is our necessary food. We, like Ezekiel, are to feed on it and allow it to strengthen us for whatever we face in this life.  If we are diligent in our study, we will find that the Lord speaks to us from His word exactly what is needed for that hour, for that day or for that trial.  He uses His word in our lives to strengthen us, to impart wisdom and to penetrate our hearts.   It is what God says that matters.  It is His word we are to speak to others...not our ideas or opinions...His words.  His word is what will feed them spiritually.  His word is what will strengthen them and impart wisdom. His word is what changes hearts.


"And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, WHO BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?" So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."--Romans 10:15-17

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."--Hebrews 4:12

"So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."--Isaiah 55:11



Love
Mom

And Who is Sufficient for These Things...

“And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house.  You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious.  But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.--Ezekiel 2:6-10

Dear Girls,

In the previous study we looked at the beginning verses of chapter 2 through verse 5.  We are looking now at the remainder of the chapter, but before we do that I need to point out two things from the very beginning of this chapter.  First, Ezekiel was called by God to speak to the people. He was commissioned so to speak. The next thing to note is that Ezekiel fell on his face when he sees the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord,  and it was God that strengthened him and put him back on his feet.  God empowered him to do the job that He gave him to do by filling him with His Spirit.  

Which brings me back to the last several verses of this chapter where God is exhorting Ezekiel not to be afraid of these people, nor to be afraid of their words.  He said the people would be like briers and thorns and scorpions dwelling with him.  He was also told not to be dismayed by their looks, but just to speak the words that were given to him to speak by God. When you are in Christ, you will at times be surrounded by opposition just as Christ was and will at times face hardship and persecution for speaking His word. Paul in 2 Timothy 4:2-8  tells Timothy this:

"Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.  For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing."--2 Timothy 4:2-8

Do the job the Lord has given you.  Ezekiel stands in such contrast to his countryman who were in a state of rebellion.  Ezekiel opens his mouth wide and takes inside him what work the Lord has for him to do.  The words the Lord was giving Ezekiel to speak to his countrymen were words of sorrow, lamentation and woe.  Ezekiel was not being given a happy ministry.  Ezekiel was going to be disliked...but the Lord empowered him and made him strong.  Girls, the gospel is offensive to the unsaved...the cross is an offense.

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.  For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?  For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ".--2nd Cor 2:14-17

None of us are sufficient in ourselves...God will empower us for the jobs He has given each of us to do.  It is He, that will lead us in triumph...it is He that will perform all things for us. We can do all things through Him who strengthens us.


Love
Mom

Your Job and God's Job....

So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.

And He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.” ² Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me. ³ And He said to me: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day. ⁴ For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ ⁵ As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.

  “And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house. ⁷ You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. ⁸ But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. ¹⁰ Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,

This is a short chapter but filled with much wisdom.  Ezekiel was given the responsibility to declare the word of the Lord to a people whom God Himself describes with words like rebellious, impudent and stubborn.  He also acknowledged that they would not likely hear. Once Ezekiel had spoken what God wanted him to speak, his job would be done.  The same is true for us, girls.  My job, or your job is to speak the truth of the word of God.  You are not to stop speaking just because you think the people are not going to hear.  It is easy to become discouraged when you don't feel people are listening...BUT... Our job is to speak the truth and the results are up to God and the ones being spoken to.  There is much rest in that.  Obey...do your job and leave the results to God. 

Love
Mom

Christophobia: Dead Man With the King… Part 2

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A Plan for Your Family: God's vs. the World's, Part 1 (1/21/1996)

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The Millennial Kingdom Pictured - Isaiah 2

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,


The next four chapters (2-5) represent a connected discourse addressed to Judah and Jerusalem.  The discourse finishes in Chapter 5 with the parable of the Lord's vineyard and His subsequent judgment on that vineyard because despite the extraordinary care given it by the Lord Himself, it produced not sweet grapes but wild, inedible grapes suitable only for dumping.

The first 4 verses in chapter 2 picture the millennial kingdom...Zion's future glory.  God's special people would be restored, Jerusalem would be the city of the great King and the law would go forth from it and all the nations flow to it. In those days, the people would not learn war anymore...the Prince of Peace would be on the throne.  Instead, pilgrimages would be made to the House of  the God of Jacob to meet with God and have Him teach them His ways. The desire of the people would be to walk in His paths.

What a contrast to what was currently going on in Jerusalem and Judah during the time that Isaiah prophesied...what a contrast to what is going on today.  The prospect of the glory of the future Zion prompts Isaiah to exhort the people to repent in verse 5 and walk in the light of His countenance.  It is also a good exhortation for us.

Verses 6-22 speak to the coming judgment not only for Judah and Jerusalem but also to the time of great tribulation (the time of Jacob's trouble) that would come upon the whole earth before the establishment of God's kingdom. Some of it echoes Revelation saying that the people would seek shelter in the holes of the rocks and the caves of the earth from the terror of the Lord.  The people had forsaken their God, filled themselves with eastern ways and had trusted in man, silver, gold, horses and chariots.  They had worshiped idols...bowed down and humbled themselves before the works of their own hands.  Verse 10 tells the people to enter into the rock and hide in the dust from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty.  For the day of the Lord of Hosts shall come upon everything proud and lofty...upon everything lifted up--and it shall be brought low--Verse 17 says the loftiness of man shall be bowed down and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low.  The Lord alone will be exalted.

We are made by God...in His image.  Formed by Him and redeemed by Him. We are made to fulfill His purposes for us...to serve Him.  We are here to do His will.  Going our own way is the way of sin and death and for the most part sorrow both in this life and in the next.  These words are not just written for the people of Judah and Jerusalem but for us.  God is not mocked...He suffers long but judgment comes.  He stands at the door and knocks and dwells in those whose hearts are for Him.  The Lord will shake the earth and judgment will come like a tremendous storm devouring all in its path.  Man's attempt to find security and make a resting place for his feet in this world, while ignoring his Creator who created all that he sees for His glory and for His purposes, is in vain and doomed from the very start for failure.  Look at those things that you are depending on....awaken to reality and put them aside for the glory and majesty of the One who can be depended on.  Anything else is foolish....when the end comes if you are not in Christ...In the Ark of Him who is your confidence, you will find yourself bereft of all security and will seek shelter in vain...You cannot hide from the Lord.

Verse 22 says this:  Sever yourselves from such a man, Whose breath is in his nostrils; for of what account is he?  It echoes the center verse of the Bible (Psalm 118:8) which says:  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. Don't look to the right or to the left but to Him who died for you...walk in His truth...be found in Him.

Love
Mom

Isaiah 2

The Future House of God

 ¹ The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
       ² Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
      That the mountain of the LORD’s house
      Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
      And shall be exalted above the hills;
      And all nations shall flow to it.
       ³ Many people shall come and say,

      “ Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
      To the house of the God of Jacob;
      He will teach us His ways,
      And we shall walk in His paths.”
      For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
      And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
       ⁴ He shall judge between the nations,
      And rebuke many people;
      They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
      And their spears into pruning hooks;
      Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
      Neither shall they learn war anymore.

The Day of the LORD

    ⁵ O house of Jacob, come and let us walk
      In the light of the LORD.
       ⁶ For You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob,
      Because they are filled with eastern ways;
      They are soothsayers like the Philistines,
      And they are pleased with the children of foreigners.
       ⁷ Their land is also full of silver and gold,
      And there is no end to their treasures;
      Their land is also full of horses,
      And there is no end to their chariots.
       ⁸ Their land is also full of idols;
      They worship the work of their own hands,
      That which their own fingers have made.
       ⁹ People bow down,
      And each man humbles himself;
      Therefore do not forgive them.
       ¹⁰ Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust,
      From the terror of the LORD
      And the glory of His majesty.
       ¹¹ The lofty looks of man shall be humbled,
      The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down,
      And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
       ¹² For the day of the LORD of hosts
      Shall come upon everything proud and lofty,
      Upon everything lifted up—
      And it shall be brought low—
       ¹³ Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up,
      And upon all the oaks of Bashan;
       ¹⁴ Upon all the high mountains,
      And upon all the hills that are lifted up;
       ¹⁵ Upon every high tower,
      And upon every fortified wall;
       ¹⁶ Upon all the ships of Tarshish,
      And upon all the beautiful sloops.
       ¹⁷ The loftiness of man shall be bowed down,
      And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low;
      The LORD alone will be exalted in that day,
       ¹⁸ But the idols He shall utterly abolish.
       ¹⁹ They shall go into the holes of the rocks,
      And into the caves of the earth,
      From the terror of the LORD
      And the glory of His majesty,
      When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
       ²⁰ In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver
      And his idols of gold,
      Which they made, each for himself to worship,
      To the moles and bats,
       ²¹ To go into the clefts of the rocks,
      And into the crags of the rugged rocks,
      From the terror of the LORD
      And the glory of His majesty,
      When He arises to shake the earth mightily.
       ²² Sever yourselves from such a man,
      Whose breath is in his nostrils;
      For of what account is he?

The Law of Diminishing Returns by Rebecca

 “Because he knows no quietness in his heart, he will not save anything he desires. Nothing is left for him to eat; therefore his well-being will not last. In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress; every hand of misery will come against him.” – Job 20:20-22

 

 

Zophar’s discourse to Job is replete with poorly veiled accusations. He implies (among other things) that Job is haughty, a hypocrite, a liar, and an oppressor; in short, that Job’s suffering is his just comeuppance, and it proves his hidden wickedness and his need to repent. Job was being mocked, but God is not.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (Galatians 6:7-8)

Zophar’s discourse, though completely missing its contextual mark, is tragically depictive of the true state of the evildoer. He is set in a slippery place, without rest for his foot or peace for his heart. (Psalm 73, Isaiah 48:22) He has nothing that was not given to him, and if he continues down the path of destruction, even what he has will be taken away from him. (Matthew 13:12) His end is death and judgment, separated from all that is good, and this life is the best he will ever know. (Philippians 3:18-19, Romans 8:5-6) Sure, the wicked may seem to prosper for now. But they really aren’t. If you do not have the Lord Jesus Christ, you are marked for destruction. You are an evildoer – a sinner – regardless of your spotless criminal record, your good name, or your good works. (Romans 3:23, John 8:24) Your house is built on the sand and it will inevitably come crashing down. (Matthew 7:24-29)

“Because he knows no quietness in his heart…” How can you know rest or peace when you live in a world that can change in a heartbeat? What security is there? What permanency? And what about purpose? What kind of life do you have when your soul believes the lies the prince of the power of the air pounds into mankind at every opportunity? The universe exists by chance; all is random; there is no ultimate purpose; there are no absolutes and definitely no moral standard; only the fittest survive; life is built on death and struggle. Less pitiably, mankind allows himself no peace simply because of what he is: corrupt. Genesis 6:5 says, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” How much do actually think that’s changed? Humanity manages to punch the self-destruction button almost every generation, and it is only the grace of God that intervenes. No, it’s not hard to realize that there is no quietness in the hearts of sinful man.

If there is no quietness is one’s heart, then that restlessness will eventually extend over every area of your life. You will not be able to save anything you desire. Everything you eat, everything you do, and even everything you think, will be tainted. You have nothing with which to satisfy the longing of your soul. Things that once gave you pleasure, joy, fulfillment, or excitement will yield those products in an increasingly dwindling supply, while your desire is only intensifying. (C. S. Lewis called this the Law of Diminishing Returns in his book The Screwtape Letters.) Well-being, as Zophar says, cannot last under such conditions. Stress, weight gain or weight loss, paranoia, phobias, depression, anxiety attacks, fatigue, etc., will result. To be sure, there is no universal formula you can apply; God is a God of individuals, and each life is unique. But the general rule of thumb is simple: the wages of sin is death.

“In his self-sufficiency he will be in distress; every hand of misery will come against him…” If you want to be miserable, strive to be self-sufficient in ways that are impossible to achieve. Strive to take control of your tongue, your life, your circumstances, or your environment. Strive to ensure your own safety, well-being, or happiness. Strive to do what is right in your own eyes. Strive to “follow your heart.” Strive to apply some invented philosophy of either your own making or choosing to the world around you, and strive to consistently reconcile said philosophy with reality. Man naturally strives to do all these things, and natural man is always in distress. Every hand of misery comes against him. You can disguise the truth, you can throw sand on it, you can distract yourself from it with frenetic motivation, or you can try to make the truth go away, but no human, angelic, or demonic effort will ever alter or challenge the decree of the Living God.

But there is a way of escape. And His name is Jesus.

John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Once, I was wicked. I was a child of the world, and under the sway of the prince of the power of the air. But no more! The truth makes me free, because Jesus bore my sin in His body, and made Himself the propitiation for my transgressions. He paid my debt, pulled me out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon the Rock. He makes me stand before His Father – and now mine – not because of anything I did or do, but because He loves me! In utter contrast to the fate of the ungodly, I am blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. I am even PURSUED by blessings! The Sovereign God, the Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Living and Awesome God, the Great I AM WHO I AM, the Becoming One, the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, the Righteous God, the God who is a consuming fire, the Living God – He is my loving Father! I am His princess, His bride, His daughter, His beloved. I dwell in the secret place of the Most High. I know that He works all things together for good for me, that He has a purpose for my life, and that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in the children of God. My Father is so great and glorious that “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him”! (1 Corinthians 2:9)

Romans 8:31-39, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Thirsts...Come...Drink

 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;--Isaiah 44:3

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

What a wonderful prayer to pray for you, my children...and for my precious grandchildren. I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessings on your offspring! Glorious!

This is the verse that was always read on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles which celebrates God's deliverance, protection, and provision during Israel's wilderness wanderings. John's gospel tells us that on the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying:

“...If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”--John 7:37-38

Jesus revealed Himself as the fulfillment of this verse in Isaiah. He is the One who would provide the living water that gives us eternal life. Jesus is the only One who can satisfy the thirsts that resides in the heart of every person.  We try to quench it with so many things both physical and emotional, but what we really need is Him. 

God will pour out His Spirit on those that come to Him and out of their hearts shall flow torrents of living water. Complete satisfaction is only found in Him. Those three words...thirsts...come...drink summarize the message of the Gospel.  First, there must be a recognition of need, then a coming to the Source and finally a receiving of what is needed to satisfy. Isaiah 12: 3 is also quoted on this last day of the feast.

Behold, God is my salvation,  I will trust and not be afraid;  ‘ For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’”Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.--Isaiah 12:2-3

Jehovah is a Hebrew word for God meaning literally "the becoming one."  The name is important because it expresses what God wants to be to you. God desires to become whatever your need may be. The name Jesus means Jehovah is Salvation. He has become your salvation!  Don't settle for the endless and hopeless quests of finding permanent and lasting satisfaction in this world.  A relationship with Jesus will satisfy every longing in your heart.   It will cost you nothing.  It costs God the Father, the death of His Son on the cross at Calvary.  His redemptive work and His kingdom are for the benefit of all who are willing to come.

Love
Mom

Jesus' words in John echo Isaiah 55 which I have copied in its entirety below.

Isaiah 55

  “Ho! Everyone who thirsts,

      Come to the waters;

      And you who have no money,

      Come, buy and eat.

      Yes, come, buy wine and milk

      Without money and without price.

       ² Why do you spend money for what is not bread,

      And your wages for what does not satisfy?

      Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

      And let your soul delight itself in abundance.

       ³ Incline your ear, and come to Me.

      Hear, and your soul shall live;

      And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—

      The sure mercies of David.

       ⁴ Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,

      A leader and commander for the people.

       ⁵ Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,

      And nations who do not know you shall run to you,

      Because of the LORD your God,

      And the Holy One of Israel;

      For He has glorified you.”

       ⁶ Seek the LORD while He may be found,

      Call upon Him while He is near.

       ⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way,

      And the unrighteous man his thoughts;

      Let him return to the LORD,

      And He will have mercy on him;

      And to our God,

      For He will abundantly pardon.

       ⁸ “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

      Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.

       ⁹ “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

      So are My ways higher than your ways,

      And My thoughts than your thoughts.

       ¹⁰ “ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,

      And do not return there,

      But water the earth,

      And make it bring forth and bud,

      That it may give seed to the sower

      And bread to the eater,

       ¹¹ So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

      It shall not return to Me void,

      But it shall accomplish what I please,

      And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

       ¹² “ For you shall go out with joy,

      And be led out with peace;

      The mountains and the hills

      Shall break forth into singing before you,

      And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

       ¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,

      And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;

      And it shall be to the LORD for a name,

      For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Old Things Have Passed Away; Behold, All Things Have Become New

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.--2nd Corinthians 5:17

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla,
 
There is just no way I can possibly do this verse justice or even begin to speak to its magnificence.  (But of course...you know...I will try.

The key to the verse is "in Christ."  I AM IN CHRIST!  I am a new creation...the Holy Spirit has given me new life.  It is not a new leaf so to speak...it is a new life I walk in.  My master is no longer the God of this world but is the Lord Himself!   He is my strong tower.  He is my shelter. He is my refuge.  He is my security...He is my forgiveness...He is my acceptance...He is my hope....He is my future assurance and my inheritance. He is my Ark of Safety when I pass through the waters. In Him, the bible tells me, I live and move and have my being. He is my covering...He is the Becoming One...He becomes whatever I need!  I (ME!) have Him  living inside..I participate in the divine nature of Christ. This treasure lives in my earthen vessel.  I am now set free and am no longer a slave to my past or to sin.  In fact, because I believe, my past and everything else in my life now works together for good.  Goodness and mercy follow me and whether I live or die, I am with Him.  I am always with Him. 

 My old values, beliefs, loves and plans are gone.  My old man can still put up a fight and will to the day I die, but I am no longer enslaved to him.  He no longer has control over me. I am set free from the bondage of the past.  I can walk in holiness and newness of life.

This newness of life did not go away a few days after I was saved...this newness of life continued and was and is a constant reality for me.  Why because my position in Christ is secure. There is nothing that can separate me from Him. When I forget or allow something from my past to take hold  and gain a foothold in my life, my Lord is so gracious to show me that it no longer has the power to hold me and keep me from walking with Him by His Spirit. He graciously reminds me of my position in Him and all that that means. I have His power living inside me and as I surrender to it, I can do all things through my God who gives me strength.  I face nothing...nothing without Him.  He is always there...nothing can separate me from Him. I no longer live for the temporal.  I can live for the eternal.  I can walk in those works He has prepared for me.  I can walk according to His plan. I can face life with no condemnation and look forward to living with Him in glory  because I am in Him!

There is a notation in my bible next to the following verses...it was and is my prayer for myself and each one of you...my daughters.

"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;  that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,"--Colossians 1:9-13


Love
Mom

Some verses to contemplate when you need to remember the new perspective you have in Him...


 "Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.--Isaiah 43:18-19

Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? --Ezekiel 18:31

Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. --John 3:3-6
 

No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." --Matthew 9:16-17

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.--Romans 6:4-6

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.  Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." --Revelation 21:1-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
\that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,  who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.--Ephesians 1:3-14

A Heartbroken Parent and a Wayward Child...

Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,

I started to read the book of Isaiah today reading Chapter 1 several times through.  Isaiah was a prophet who wrote from the southern kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah in the eighth century B.C. This was during the time the northern kingdom had already been taken captive by the Assyrian army but before the southern kingdom would be taken captive by Babylon. He warned them of the destruction and devastation that would take place because of their rejection of the God of Israel and His word.  He also talked of the restoration that would follow speaking to the near future and the very distant one.  Isaiah spoke many prophecies concerning the Messiah...both His first and second coming.  In reading them one gets a very clear picture of the cross and what was accomplished by Jesus there.

The book of Isaiah is interesting in that it has 66 books...like the bible.  The first 39 (the same number of books contained in the Old Testament) deal with judgment and history and the next 27 (the same number of books contained in the New Testament) deal with the salvation that God provides.  The book is a bible within the bible and is all about Jesus.

Chapter 1 Summary: The first chapter begins with a courtroom scene with God convening and charging the nation of Judah in verses 2-4 calling them rebellious children who are less devoted to Him than an animal is to its master. They had corrupted their way and forsaken the Lord and gone backward. He presents His case in verses 5-15 and pronounces them guilty.  Unbelievably in verses 16-31 we find Him speaking of pardon and offering a solution to their situation  Not only that He goes on to talk of their future restoration in the latter verses. What was most hideous about what Israel was doing was that they were claiming to be a religious nation.  They attended religious services and offered many sacrifices, but in their worship they sinned even more because of the hypocrisy of their hearts.  God wanted the inward heart not the outward show.

There is much in this chapter but a few verses really spoke to my heart.

"Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!  For the LORD has spoken:  “ I have nourished and brought up children,  And they have rebelled against Me;  The ox knows its owner  And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.”  Alas, sinful nation,  A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters!  They have forsaken the LORD,  They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward."--Isaiah1:2-4

The Lord here sounds like a heartbroken parent.  He had nourished and brought up children and they had rebelled against Him.  God tells His children that the animals had more sense than they did.  He brought the nation of Israel into being and brought them out of Egypt where they were enslaved.  He took care of them in the wilderness and brought them into the land He had promised them.  He grew them, fed them, made them strong and forgave them when they rebelled.  He had shown them His love, grace and mercy and they in response rejected Him. They literally bit the hand that fed them. If you are a parent, you  understand what it means to pour your life, your love and your heart into a child.  What a heartbreak for a mom and a dad when  when the one you have loved, cared for and treasured, rebels and act like they don't even know you.  You become nothing to them.  What an example, however, our God, our Father, is for these parents.  He continually stretches out His hand in mercy and love.  Mercy triumphs over judgment. All God's people needed to be was willing.

“ Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD,  “ Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.--Isaiah 1:18-20

Despite all the evil...despite their continual sin, God does not forget mercy.  Despite their rejection, despite their betrayal and worship of other gods, despite their going backwards and not remembering Him...He still offered them a way out of their suffering and sin and back into blessing. All they needed to do was to be willing...It was their choice.  Rebel and die or obey and live.   Forgiveness comes through repentance and you can't fake it. If it is from your heart, it will look like something in your life.  Your word and your deed will match.


Love
Mom


Here is the entire chapter...Read and be blessed.  Hear your God's heart for you, His children.  Hear His hurt and see His extended arm to them in forgiveness.  See further on that God's discipline and judgment is always for the purpose of restoration.

Isaiah 1

 ¹ The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The Wickedness of Judah

    ² Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!
      For the LORD has spoken:

      “ I have nourished and brought up children,
      And they have rebelled against Me;
       ³ The ox knows its owner
      And the donkey its master’s crib;
      But Israel does not know,
      My people do not consider.”
       ⁴ Alas, sinful nation,
      A people laden with iniquity,
      A brood of evildoers,
      Children who are corrupters!
      They have forsaken the LORD,
      They have provoked to anger
      The Holy One of Israel,
      They have turned away backward.
       ⁵ Why should you be stricken again?
      You will revolt more and more.
      The whole head is sick,
      And the whole heart faints.
       ⁶ From the sole of the foot even to the head,
      There is no soundness in it,
      But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores;
      They have not been closed or bound up,
      Or soothed with ointment.
       ⁷ Your country is desolate,
      Your cities are burned with fire;
      Strangers devour your land in your presence;
      And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
       ⁸ So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard,
      As a hut in a garden of cucumbers,
      As a besieged city.
       ⁹ Unless the LORD of hosts
      Had left to us a very small remnant,
      We would have become like Sodom,
      We would have been made like Gomorrah.
       ¹⁰ Hear the word of the LORD,
      You rulers of Sodom;
      Give ear to the law of our God,
      You people of Gomorrah:
       ¹¹ “ To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?”
      Says the LORD.

      “ I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
      And the fat of fed cattle.
      I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
      Or of lambs or goats.
       ¹² “ When you come to appear before Me,
      Who has required this from your hand,
      To trample My courts?
       ¹³ Bring no more futile sacrifices;
      Incense is an abomination to Me.
      The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—
      I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
       ¹⁴ Your New Moons and your appointed feasts
      My soul hates;
      They are a trouble to Me,
      I am weary of bearing them.
       ¹⁵ When you spread out your hands,
      I will hide My eyes from you;
      Even though you make many prayers,
      I will not hear.
      Your hands are full of blood.
       ¹⁶ “ Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
      Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.
      Cease to do evil,
       ¹⁷ Learn to do good;
      Seek justice,
      Rebuke the oppressor;
      Defend the fatherless,
      Plead for the widow.
       ¹⁸ “ Come now, and let us reason together,”
      Says the LORD,

      “ Though your sins are like scarlet,
      They shall be as white as snow;
      Though they are red like crimson,
      They shall be as wool.
       ¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
      You shall eat the good of the land;
       ²⁰ But if you refuse and rebel,
      You shall be devoured by the sword”;
      For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

The Degenerate City

    ²¹ How the faithful city has become a harlot!
      It was full of justice;
      Righteousness lodged in it,
      But now murderers.
       ²² Your silver has become dross,
      Your wine mixed with water.
       ²³ Your princes are rebellious,
      And companions of thieves;
      Everyone loves bribes,
      And follows after rewards.
      They do not defend the fatherless,
      Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.
       ²⁴ Therefore the Lord says,
      The LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel,

      “ Ah, I will rid Myself of My adversaries,
      And take vengeance on My enemies.
       ²⁵ I will turn My hand against you,
      And thoroughly purge away your dross,
      And take away all your alloy.
       ²⁶ I will restore your judges as at the first,
      And your counselors as at the beginning.
      Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”
       ²⁷ Zion shall be redeemed with justice,
      And her penitents with righteousness.
       ²⁸ The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together,
      And those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.
       ²⁹ For they^[b] shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees
      Which you have desired;
      And you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens
      Which you have chosen.
       ³⁰ For you shall be as a terebinth whose leaf fades,
      And as a garden that has no water.
       ³¹ The strong shall be as tinder,
      And the work of it as a spark;
      Both will burn together,
      And no one shall quench them.